The Word Carrier of Santee Normal Training School (Santee, Nebraska), 1916-05 - 1916-06

              the Word Carrier.
OF
Santee Normal Training School.
VOLUME  XLV
HELPING- THE RIGHT, EXPOSING THE "WRONG.
NUMBER 3
SANTEE, NEBRASKA.
MAY-JUNE, 1916
THIRTY CENTS PER YEAR
Rev. Alfred Longley Riggs, D. D.
Dr. Riggs died April 15th, 1916, on
the train near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He was on his way home from California.
Mr. Fred Riggs had gone to Claremont,
California, the week before to help make
the homeward journey easier and more
comfortable for his father and mother.
They had been traveling about twenty-
four hours. Dr. Riggs was taking the
journey easily. The higher altitude passed a little while before had seemingly
not troubled him. Very suddenly and
apparently from no immediate cause he
quietly passed away.
The word was received at Santee by
telegram on Sunday afternoon, April
16th. The news came as a great shock
to the Mission and community who had
been joyously looking forward to the
day of home coming. The school flag
was raised at half mast and the Chapel
bell tolled forth the sad message.
On Tuesday evening the arrival was
the occasion of a demonstration of love
and grief as the Indian people gathered
at dusk on the river bank and reverently
followed to the Mission home. As the
casket was carried into the house they
sang a hymn in the native tongue, and
Rev. Francis Frazier, the native pastor,
made a fitting address and offered a very
touching prayer. The keen personal sorrow that had come to each man and woman present was evidenced by the words
of one of the Indian men when gazing at
the peaceful face of his leader he said
with choking sobs to a member of the family, "we grieve just as you do: he is your father and he is our father."
Alfred Longley Riggs was born at Lac-qui-
Parle, Minn., Dec. 6, 1837. He was the oldest
son of the famous Stephen R. Riggs, and his
wife Mary Ann (Longley) Riggs. He was a
graduate of Knox College, and of Chicago Theological Seminary. He was united in marriage
in Chicago in 1*863 to Miss Mary Buel Hatch,
who, with five children, survives him. He came
to Santee in 1870 and organized the Santee
Normal Training School, whose influence has
been so widely extended.
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Address by Rev. Elias Gilbert
When the first missiouaries, Rev.
Thomas S.Williamson and Rev. Stephen
R. Riggs, came among our people it was
before my time. But I remember shortly aferwards when Dr. Stephen Riggs
was having a communion service and he
baptized five women. It was at that time
I first saw his son, who was then a boy
ten years old. That was Zitkadan waste
(Indian name for Dr. A. L. Riggs.) And
he was a good looking boy. After that
he went away to school and I did not
see him again till after the Indians and
whites fought in 1862. After that when
our people were in prison I remember
that Zitkadanwaste came to teach the
young men who were in prison to sing
and that was his first work for our people. And that teaching in the prison
was indicative of what his work was to
be for our people, a work of education.
From that beginning came this school
and all the teaching that has gone out
from here, and by which our people have
everywhere been changed, aud for which
we are all remembering Dr. Riggs today
with great gratitude.
Memorial Service
A memorial service was held in the Chapel
Friday afternoon, but owing to the inclement
weather the funeral was delayed until Monday.
At the memorial service the Chapel was filled
to overflowing. The service was in charge of
Dr Thomas L. Riggs. Among the hymns
chosen, one was a translation into the Dakota
that had been made by Dr. Alfred Riggs, and
another was sung to a tune that had been composed by him. The first speaker was Rev.
Lucius 0. Baird, D. D., of Chicago, the western
secretary of the American Missionary Association. Dr. Baird's address is given on the last
page.
Dr. Baird was followed by Rev. Albert Frazier, pastor of the Bazile (Indian) church, and
by Rev, Elias Gilbert, one of the oldest Indian
preachers, now retired. Both of these addresses
were delivered with much feeling in the native
tongue. 	
Address by Rev. Albert Frazier
When I first saw Dr. Riggs I noticed that he
was different from the other missionaries. The
others all paid much attention to the adult Indians but here was a man who seemed to be
giving most of his time to gathering the children and young people. So it at first seemed
to me that his work was a very small and an
unimportant one. But afterwards we began
to understand that his way of working was the
Rev. Alfred Longley Riggs, D. D.
Founder op Santee Normal Training School
most important of all. From that training of
the children a new and different generation of
our people has grown up. The educational
work that Dr. Riggs began in a way that looked
to us very unimportant has grown to be the
greatest blessing to all the Dakota people.
Dr. Riggs desired that our children should
learn to know right and wrong and he taught
them thoroughly. He desired that our people
should learn to live well in this life but not
only that but that they should also learn to live
for the life to come. Sometimes when I see
our children playing I listen and it seems to
me that thev talk almost nothing but English.
They are like another people to me. This is
an example of the change in every way that the
work of Dr. Riggs has made in our people.
Now' he has gone to heaven and will help us
no more on earth and we are very sad.
Behold we also are becoming grey headed.
Now you young people should learn well all
that is being taught you and hold fast to it.
With that learning you must be ready to be a
help and a blessing to your people. You must
do for them as Dr. Riggs has done for you.
When Dr. Riggs first came to this country
and began to build here these houses and fences I helped him some. But when I was working at those things then I never thought that
in the future from them much good would
come to our people. But as the years went by
the school houses grew and multiplied till there
is now a village here, all very pleasing to look
at, and from this institution knowledge has
spread among our people making them better,
for which we have gratitude; and the life of
Dr. Riggs has been a lesson to us'that we will
always remember.
Rev. Wm. B. Pinkerton of Rosebud, also
spoke, paying his tribute to what Dr. Riggs
had meant in his large sympathy and wisdom
to the missionaries among the Indians. He
then tenderly reminded the pupils of the school
of what their dead teacher would most want,
that they should love his Master and serve
Him, and train themselves patiently and earnestly to be leaders of their people in Christian
living and service.
Words of Appreciation
"Dr. Riggs held a large place in my
appreciation and affection.    His dignity
of character,  comprehensiveness of vision and unselfish devotion were marked
and  compelling.     He  was  of peculiar
gentleness of heart and manner.    The
American Missionary Association has lost one
of its most valuable and appreciated missionaries in his passing beyond.    The church has
lost a devoted and consecrated disciple.    And
those  of   our  closer   fellowship   have  lost  a
friend whose place cannot be filled.    My loving  sympathy and   prayers   go out  to   you,
dear   friends,   in  this   hour of  farewell  and
bereavement."—Rev. Charles J. Ryder, D. D.,
New York City.
"For more than twenty years he was constant
in his attendance at the meetings of the Board.
He was rarely absent from the monthly meeting
of the Executive Committee, though most of
the time it meant two full days of absence from
his own important post. His sympathy, co-operation and loyalty never wavered in the most
perplexing hour. I would like to look once
more into his face and to say, "He was a dear
fatherly friend, and I long ago learned to love
him. "Those long years of fidelity to the work
for a race, with whom civilization is young,
have always touched my heart. What is Christianity, if it is not the strong and wise serving
the weak and needy? A gieat man has fallen
in our Israel. It is for us who remain to take
new vows of devotion to institutions for which
he gave himself so freely and fully, and to realize as much as in us lies, his noblest dreams
for their widening service."—President H. K.
Warren of Yankton College.
/%*
"A great lover of men has fallen. The Sioux
have lost their best friend, but his work will live,
for it was wrought with common sense, crimsoned with sacrifice."—Rev. DauF. Bradley,D.D.,
Cleveland, Ohio.
"Dr. Alfred Riggs was a man of statesman-like
abilities, unexcelled Christian character and
missionary vision, a man of personality which
has built character into the work to which he
gave his life, and into everything which he
touched. Certainly our Conference, our State,
and the many interests with which he was con-
I nected have lost a man of towering manhood,
'and great life though quietly lived."—Rev.
W. H. Thrall, D. D., Huron. So. Dak.